CONVERSATIONS.

“Baby, you’ve got a morning class. It’s time to get up.” My dad’s voice came ringing from outside my room’s door.

And there came the “not again” groan. Why does he always have to wake me up so early? It’s 5 a.m., and I could easily wake up by 6 and still be on time. But I already knew why. That would mean missing our little morning talk,like he fondly calls it. His favourite time of the day, and honestly, mine too.

My dad is the most fun person I know. It’s so easy to talk to him, and really, those little talks are the reason I always have so much to say. You could call them pep talks, but they’re more than that. He says he loves conversing with me, and trust me, he doesn’t even have to say it, I see it. I hear his soothing voice even in my dreams now. He always wants to talk, and about everything, I mean everything.

So, I dragged myself out of bed and walked into the sitting room, where he was already seated, eagerly waiting for me to show up. It almost feels like his day wouldn’t be complete if he didn’t speak to me, and sincerely, mine wouldn’t be either. There were days I sulked and didn’t want to talk to him because I didn’t get what I wanted. My dad’s the sweetest; he would give me the world if I asked. But I hate it when he doesn’t give me something because he thinks I don’t need it, or maybe, not yet. And really, sometimes it sulks that he’s always right.

Still rubbing sleep from my eyes, I sat beside him, already wondering what this morning’s conversation would be about. He always has a way of making me anticipate. Sometimes, I don’t even have a clue what direction he’ll go, but I know it’ll be good. This morning, he began:

“My sweet girl.”

That always gets me. I’ve heard it more times than I’ve heard my actual name, and yet it still melts me.

“What’s the greatest gift that you think you could ever get?” he asked.

Well, that one’s easy.

“A trip to Miami,” I replied without thinking. I’ve always wanted that since I was like five. That’s what happens when you watch too many movies and fall in love with places with cool names and even cooler views. I wouldn’t mind the Maldives instead, or maybe Dubai. But half the world would probably say that, so maybe not.

He looked at me, smiled, and said,

“That’s little.”

Little? Well, Dad, I don’t mind getting that little right now, I thought. And He laughed like He could hear my thoughts.

His laughter is music to my ears. People ask me why I’m always jolly and bubbly, and sometimes I’m tempted to say, Have you met my father? I’ve never seen him frown. I’ve seen him sober, when he talks about serious issues. And there was that one time I saw his eyes well up. I had broken my leg during sports at school. I couldn’t stop crying, and then I saw his eyes. Teary. I almost laughed. How could such a big man cry?

But my dad loves me like that, and I love him too much myself.

His voice drew me back from my thoughts. “You’ve got another try,” He said.

After thinking for what seemed like forever, I said again, “Getting my dream job, cause then I could afford the trip myself.”

Such wisdom, yeah?

This time, he laughed so hysterically that I couldn’t stop myself from laughing too.

“That was funny, yeah, but wise too,” I added.

He looked at me and said, “Darling, the greatest gift anyone could ever give you, or that you could ever receive, is LOVE.”

And I went, “Hmmm.”

But love? I mean, love is great, It’s why I can sit with my dad laughing hysterically at 5 a.m. It’s why I feel so at peace, so joyful.. its the love I have received that has made me whole, and happy enough to dream.

It’s why I can call at any time of the day and never get the “I can’t talk right now” response. My dad was is always available, He loves me that much.

My dad has always showed me what love really looked like, sometimes I wonder what I could have possibly done to deserve such a father. He makes me feel safe, wanted, cared for, seen. I certainly couldn’t have asked for more.

But then the question came to mind: Is love in itself a gift you give?

And then he continued…

“Love is patient, love is kind…

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking,

It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.”

As he recited those words, my thoughts began to align.

Love is why I would choose to do anything that would be of help to others.

Love is why I would want what’s best for others, even when I barely know them.

Love is why I would not envy another’s success but rather be genuinely happy for them.

Love is the reason I would be kind, forgive, give, uplift, and reach out.

Whatever I give, should be given out of love.

Then he said, “Whoever does not have love has nothing to offer.”

He continued: “Because whatever they do is either empty or just a reaction to an action. There is no place it flows from.”

So when people offend you, when people ask you for help, or when they refuse to assist you, look at them through the lens of love. Treat them with love. It doesn’t make you weak. Love isn’t weakness; it’s power restrained, compassion expressed, it’s divinity lived out in humanity. Love is an expression.

“Go get dressed,” he said with a grin. “I’ll prepare a meal for you.”

So I went in to get dressed, and by the time I got back, it was already 6:30. My dad was already dishing out my meal. “You slept early yesterday,” he said casually.

I went, “I was too tired, Dad. It was such a long day.”

“I had prepared a meal for you. I knew you’d be tired. You could’ve eaten and gained strength,” he said with a teasing grin. “But I let you sleep, because I saw you wanted to, I mean, it’s okay that you wanted to sleep instead of telling me how your day went.” He said sarcastically.

I laughed. “Dad, you know it’s not like that.”

“Well, next time, I’ll let your scrumptious meal wake me up and give me strength, and you need to give me your recipe so I can make that for other people too”. I said grinning.

He placed my plate in front of me and said, “Don’t forget we still have to finish that conversation. Don’t think I wouldn’t still want to know how your day went.”

“Dad, no talking while eating,” I said playfully.

He smirked. “I didn’t ask you to say it right now.”

After the meal, He brought out the Transformation devotional, tossed it toward me, and asked me to read.

And I read, topic:Growing into Freedom

Text: Daniel 11:32b “…but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.”

As I read the verse aloud, he asked, “What does that scripture mean to you?”

I thought for a second and said, “As long as I know God, I will be strengthened to do exploits.” So confidently, like I hadn’t just rephrased the scripture.

He smiled. “My dear, every problem in this world is a knowledge problem.”

I looked at him, intrigued.

“You don’t have that job you think is so amazingly great because you don’t know how to go about getting it. And if you do get to know right now, you do not have the skill set yet to get one. Either way, there’s a knowledge gap.”

“The reason a cure for cancer hasn’t been found yet isn’t because there’s no cure or can never be a cure, it’s because no one has come to the knowledge of what would work.”

God is infinite. He is a well, a depth of knowledge. He cannot be exhausted. Man can only keep pressing in, discovering what already exists in Him.

“You need knowledge to gain wisdom,” he said. “You need to first have a knowing to gain understanding.”

Your deep knowledge of God is what keeps you. The knowledge of God strengthens you by informing you of who you are in Him and how much you mean to Him.

“A prince will believe he’s a slave if he has no knowledge of the king as his father,” he added. “And it’s easy to be lied to if you don’t know what the truth is.”

The truth of God that you know opens you up to the reality of that dimension. If you know God as a provider, and you truly know how much He wants to provide for you, you will continually receive His provision. Your knowledge of that dimension of God strengthens you to do exploits. Your revelation of God as a keeper gives you the strength to live boldly, walk freely, and move forward without fear.

“So your knowledge of God which is His revelation to you, gives you the strength, and as you believe (walk in faith), you are empowered to do what you have to do (exploits).”

God frees, and after you’re free, you don’t start begging for freedom again. The knowledge of who God is tells you He is able, and He will bring to completion whatever He starts.

When you know these things, you understand that you’re not contending for freedom, you’re growing in it. You’re walking into the depths of God’s truth, being transformed by the renewing of your mind.

There’s an answer to all things, and it is the knowledge of God. So, my darling, never cease to know more. Every knowledge can be found in God, including the knowledge (strength) you need to love. Because GOD is LOVE.

NOTE TO READER:

If you struggle with prayer, maybe you need to redefine what prayer really means. Prayer is not just a routine, it’s conversation with your Father. And it can be fun, transformative, and even eventful. It will rejuvenate you, and inform you.

This doesn’t downplay the importance of other forms of prayer (like intercession, petition, warfare, or thanksgiving), but this kind of prayer, this conversation, is the one you should do at all times, there is always more to be revealed, the knowledge of God cannot be exhausted and He wants to reveal it to you.

Prayer isn’t just talking to God. It’s bringing your heart before Him, hearing His thoughts, and simply listening to what He has to teach you.

Start the CONVERSATION .

He’s always been waiting, sit and let Him speak to your heart.